SC - Figs!

[Bonne]

> 
> Elizabeth writes:
> 
> >>The use of sugar to preserve fruit in the form of jam or jelly seems to be
> just coming in at this period, so in this case I would be hesitant to take
> Digby as evidence for what was being done in England sixty years earlier.<<
> 
> Approximate 60 years (1604) earlier Elenor Fettiplace had her recipes written
> into a book. She was born ca. 1570 and had a 15 year old son in 1604, so had
> been married for awhile. Her book contains a number of recipes for preserves
> and for whole fruits perserved in clear jellies. Would this be considered a
> primary source?
> 
> I'm going to make a leap of faith here (as opposed to an assumption) that, as
> sugar started becoming more redily available in England ca. 1550, Eleanor did
> not come up with all these recipes between 1600 and 1604, but was using them
> during her entire married life and may have been taught some or all of them
> from her mother before she was married.
> 
> Renata

As I understood the notes at the beginning and the end of the book, although
the bulk of the work seems to have been copied out from collected notes all at
once, there were additions made by several hands at undetermined times as the
book was passed along in the familiy.  The current owner/editor of the
published version doesn't consistently indicate whether or not a recipe is in
the original hand, or one of the later hands. Those wanting to be very
scrupulous about periodness will want to wait until an edition with that sort
of detail is available.  

Bonne
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